Heel-stiffener machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. R. MOPITT. HEEL STIFFBNER MACHINE,

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ilniiTnn dTaTns PATENT @Tries JOHN R. MOFFITT, OF CHINESE CAMP, CALFORNA.

HEEL-STIFFENER MACHINE.

Application led Aprilll, 1885.

T @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. Morirrr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chinese Camp, in the county or' Tuolumne and State ofCalit'ornia, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Shaping Heel-Stiiteners for Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements made in machines for shaping and nishing heelstii'lcners i'or boots and shoes; and my im provemcnts in respect thereof consist in certain improved construction and combination of parts, producing a pressing and shaping machine of improved character.

rihis machine is produced by forming and combining novel dies or formcrs constructed in accordance with certain improvements herctoltre made the subject of an application i'or Letters Patent by me under Serial No. lGLSTS, and suitable mechanism for moving and operating the dies. A. hollow expansible die or toi-mer,77 ot' suitable elastic or yield ing material, formed with an exterior' cavity, and a hard-metal solid or nnyielding die or i'ormer adapted to be in said cavity compose the i'orming and pressing surfaces, between which the blank or piece ot' material is placed to be pressed and brought into shape. The hollow expansiblc one oi' such pair of dies is iilled with a suitable i'luid or liquid, and a means for applying pressure thereto is combined with the die in such manner as to produce expansion oth the wall or active surface ot' the die and to force it out at all points against the other die when the two dies are brought together. Mechanism for applying this pressure toproducc expansion of the wall of the hollow die and for bringing the dies together and for separating them is constructed as follows, the said drawings being referred to by figures and letters.

Figure l is a front elevation oi' my improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken i'rom the right-hand side of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the expansible die and the liquidchamber as it is in position upon the solid die, a heel-sticner in prie ss ECECATEN forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,710, dated October 6, 1885.

Serial No. 161,580. (No model.)

of shaping being shown between the two shaping-surfaces. Fig. 4 is a plan of the solid die and the supporting-table. Fig. 5 is an outside view of the expansible die. Fig. 6 is a crosssection through the rigidsurface die. Figs. 7 and S represent a heel-stiifener both before and after the nishing operation.

The expansible die A is constructed of some hard elastic material impervious to air, gas, and water, and capable ol a certain amount of expansion, or the property of being stretched and of returning again to its normal condition of form when the stretching force is removed, and having also a certain practical strength to withstand required pressure. Rubber is the material I employ as best suited to the purpose.

The body of the die is hollow, and the hollow space aX is iilled with a liquid or Iiuid by having the space connected with or made a continuation ot' a cylinder, D, litted with a piston, E, the movement of which in one direction transmits pressure against the walls of the hollow die in all directions by virtue of the contined body ol fluid or liquid being compressed beneath it.

The other or iixed die, Ati, is a metal block set on a stationary bed, B, in position beneath the movable die.

The movable die'is set in a reciprocating head, l?, composed of two heads, p pt, bolted together to form a single slide. 0n the lower one, px, of these parts is ahollow cylindrical chamber, d2, open at both ends, into which the hollow die is iitted, and on the lower face of the other part, p, ot' the head a circular rim or iiange is formed to iit around the edge of the cylinder. rlhe die a has a turned-out flange, a2, which is clamped between these parts when the heads p p" are bolted together. rlhe upper plate, p, has the liquid-cylinder D, open at the bottom to communicate with the hollow space of the die, but closed at the top by ahead, E, with a stutling-box, through which the rod EX of the piston E is fitted to work. The piston is set loosely in the cylinder to permit the passage of liquid above it on the downstroke, so that a portion ot the liquid from below may escape around the side ofthe piston into the space above to cushion the upstroke.

The piston-rod is attached at the upper end to a cross-head, H, moving verticallyon upright guides I and connected to cranks by connecting-rods J J, and then the piston-rod is operated to give pressure to the confined expanding medium in the cylinder and die, and to move the sliding head as well.

Large spur-wheels K K are mounted on opposite sides of the frame X X on bearings 7c, and the rods J are connected to wrist-pins k2.

Acommon driving-shaft, L, is geared into these wheels by pinions L2 to apply power to both cranks equally. M is a pulley on the shaft L to give motion from a belt.

The cylinder D is supplied with liquid by a pipe, N, fitted with a suitable valve, which may be applied to open inward, so as to admit liquid from the supplypipe into the chamber, but Vto prevent its escape. This will insure a required amount of liquid in the space within cylinder and die at all times.

The expanding` medium can be a Huid, as air or gas, or a liquid, as water, alcohol, glycerine, or any other liquid that will not act injuriously on the rubber.

The unyielding die A is fixed in the bed, and, inY cases where heatY is to be employed in connection with pressure to shape and finish any objects, the die is formed of a metal block with a heating-chamber, b2, having a pipe, b3, to admit steam or hot air.

A device for throwing` out portions of the acting surface of the expansible die is employed in those forms where overhanging or undercut parts may be used in the die, the construction and action of which device is shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. It consists of two sliding wedge-shaped blocks, R R, movable through slotsb bin the bed, and set in such position with respect to the movable die A and its surrounding'case or cylinder that on the downward movement ofthedieovertheiixed dieAX, andas the two dies come together,the tapering edges of the blocks enter between thecylinder and the contained die A in such manner as to press the adjacent walls ofthe die inward. The effect ofthis action is to throw the acting surfaces ofthe die A inn a-d or toward the fixed die, and by a proper form and application of these wedges parts of the eXpansible die can be pressed into depressions or under overhanging parts of the fixed die to bring a close fit and required pressure of the two acting surfaces. Fig. 3 illustrates the position of parts when these wedges are acting, and Fig. 1 shows the condition before they enter between rthe movable die and ther cylinder.

These wedges are operated from a cam-shaft, S, that is geared into the driving-shaft, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The blocks It R, are connected by the plate RX, from which depend two short rods or posts, R2, carrying at the lower end a crossbar,

A cam, SX, in the shaft below is of suitable form to produce alternate rising and falling movement of this movable frame and thereby project the blocks R through the bed at the proper times and draw them back as required.

I claim- 1. The combination of a suitable frame, a metallic or hard surface die, a hollow elastic or expansible surface die having its cavity filled with liquid, a liquid-cylinder having connection with this cavity of the die and fitted with a piston or plunger as a means for expanding the die, and mechanism for bringing one die against the other and for operating the liquid-pressure by which the elastic-surface die is expanded, substantially as hereinbefore described. Y

2. The combination of the stationary metallic or hard surface die, the hollow elastic or eXpansible surface die confined within a movable head and surrounded by an uuyielding case or shell, and the movable wedges adapted to enter between this case or shell and the sides of the elastic die at the time of operation as the two dies are brought together, substantially as hereinbefore described ,for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine for the purposes described, the combination of the movable head containing the hollow Yelastic die, the liquid-cylinder communicating with the hollow or cavity of the said die and tted with a piston or plunger operated as described, and the stationary metallic or hard surface die mountedon abcd in relation to the movable die, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the hollow elastic die or former within the surrounding case or shell, of the wedges, and the rigid die, said wedges being adapted to press the elastic die into any unevennesses, curves, or angles of the rigid die, substantially as set forth.

JOHN R. MOFFITT. [L s] Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OsBoRN, L. OsBoRN.

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